Download Dia de la Educación 2010

Federación Mundial
Terapeutas Ocupacionales
CONTRIBUTIONS TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EDUCATION DAY – CHILE –
MAY 2010.
In order to generate a participative process and define the themes to be discussed in
May 2010, the Education Day organizing committee sent a five-theme guideline for
debate to the various Schools and faculty of participating countries. The most
interesting and cross-cutting themes were identified from the information received, in
an effort to group common themes and interests expressed by participants.
The themes initially suggested by the organizing commission were the following (see
attached guideline):
1. Formal and informal training of occupational therapists.
2. The role of occupational therapy trainers and the tension between
professional/technical and disciplinary aspects.
3. Relationship between educational space and community social participation.
4. Theoretical and practical training and its relationship with social, cultural,
economic conditions and local policies.
5. Work/professional exercise and the relationship with the educational training
process.
6. Other themes that have emerged from group reflections, not considered in the
pre-defined themes.
This systematization seeks to represent the reflections and common themes
contributed by the teaching teams and the various Schools that have participated in
this process, so that it may also be used as an input for education Day discussions.
1. Formality and informality in the training of Occupational Therapists.
The information returned enables us to identify an imbalance between theoretical and
practical training, recognizing that there is a mismatch between theoretical training and
the demands posed by reality in practice. There is a reality which challenges the
training of occupational therapists and is not satisfied by theoretical training.
In this sense, representatives of Latin American universities claim that on the one
hand, this is the result of the fact that many therapists who supervise clinical practice
are not trained in all theoretical models, and on the other, that students receive a
plurality of theoretical, bio-psycho-social and cultural contributions. This accounts for
the diversity that is gradually integrated to each personal training process.
Part of this process is linked to the contribution of informal training. Formal education is
a defined route followed by each subject differently, according to his/her experiences
and skills developed during their professional activity. Students construct their own
reality through personal reflection, determined by the beliefs they incorporate from their
social origin. These can be reverted or modified through their own creativity or flexibility
to look upon the world, something that is precisely obtained from informal training.
General experience shows that the education of Occupational Therapy is the result of
formal training, plus the contribution of informal training.
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In formal training, what seems relevant is its alignment with the mission of the
University where the School exists, to the extent that it seeks an ethical and humanistic
education that incorporates research and demanding education to ensure the
permanent updating of its students as wholesome professionals.
In most Schools, the scope for formal and informal training is not clearly established. In
most cases, evaluations are not comprehensive; formal aspects are evaluated,
especially cognitive ones, and each work space with students is used for formal
training, failing to value informal training as part of the educational process.
There is consensus in understanding that formal training is that which is provided within
academic spheres, directly accompanied by teachers in its approach to knowledge and
the social reality of the local, regional and national context, in compliance with the
academic parameters of the University. What is also identified in formal education is
the diversity of field practices and the participation of students in the historical process
of constructing and creating field practices in various contexts.
In one way or another, informal education is understood as the autonomous work that
students undertake during their training; for example, participation in social projects or
extra-curricular field practices which constitute a fundamental element, because
through this competency they acquire the discipline and rigour to make knowledge and
technology fundamental tools for their adequate academic performance. It is in this
sphere where the exchange with students is possible, so that they may connect with
the opportunities and concrete difficulties, as well as the different ways of resolving
professional situations, generating scope for reflection and discussion that stimulates
participative learning and the link between theory and practice, only if and when this
scope is validated and duly accompanied.
In some contributions, it seems that there is recognition of the fact that training as
Occupational Therapists has been an integration of formal and informal training, with
the clinical/professional practice as a sphere where these come together and as a
training milestone.
In formal education, it is important to know from the very first year of education the
different areas of work of occupational therapy, and to facilitate practical experiences in
each stage of training, enabling direct contact with the places and people where
professional work is conducted and facilitating the integration of learning.
In informal education, we can highlight the presence of teachers with great vocation
who have acted as motivators and models capable of having a great impact upon
students. In the community sphere, personal experiences are valued: as volunteers,
with professional networks, friends and colleagues. Contact with them leads to learning
and reflection.
There are difficulties in some countries in order to satisfy the scarcity of local
Occupational Therapists. Therefore, formal programmes have to deal with the lack of
occupational therapy supervision of fieldwork.
Traditionally, training has focussed on individuals or groups with whom the teacher
works, but recently the focus has shifted towards cultural perspectives, moving away
from a strictly medical model that used to be the centre of Occupational Therapy
creating stress in the education of this discipline. In order to overcome this tension, it is
important to have a very good link between formal university education and the more
informal experiences, enabling students to apply theory to practice and vice-versa.
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In this sense, it is essential that programmes are updated in terms of health and social
care, the evolution of policies and legislation, apart from maintaining a perspective of
national and international events and an understanding of cultural contexts in order to
establish a practice that is sensitive in cultural terms, allowing students to apply what
they have learnt to real situations at a global and world level. This implies preparing
students to work in complex social care realities and contexts, whilst enabling them to
maintain a strong professional identity and allowing them to focus on the needs of their
professional practice.
Occupational Therapists in Europe emphasize that the courses that provide
professional competency must comply, as a minimum, with WFOT standards. After
that, they have the opportunity to take part in postgraduate studies. In Sweden, for the
past 10 years, every teacher wishing a permanent position must hold a PhD.
Between 1970 and 1980 a medical paradigm prevailed, whereby Occupational Therapy
focussed on the tasks and activities of functional training. Nowadays, the idea is to
focus training on the promotion of health.
In other European countries emphasis is placed on providing various levels of formal
training, such as diploma courses, degrees and MAs. These three levels expand
opportunities for students.
2. Role of OT trainers/educators. Tensions between technical / professional /
disciplinary aspects.
Every experience implies overcoming an obstacle and this always leads to tensions or
contradictions. Contradictions exist in the teaching process, and as trainers we have to
learn to reflect on these differences, to decode them, elaborate on them and reflect so
that we can be self-critical and overcome them. In consequence, it is not only the
student that learns, but also the trainer, producing a feedback process.
The training of pedagogues, of teachers of other Occupational Therapists, has been
primarily the result of their own experience as university students and, subsequently due to the general absence of specific post-graduate programmes in Occupational
Therapy - through training programmes in postgraduate courses dealing with various
areas of knowledge.
One of the important roles of the educator in our profession is the demand to train
professionals, and thus, to produce science as from Occupational Therapy. For this
purpose, specialization is required. This imposes on trainers the need to analyse in
greater depth the curricular contents of undergraduate and postgraduate courses. We
need to update our knowledge enabling us to improve in the academic and clinical
spheres, as well as in research and publications that may become a valid testimony for
future generations, enabling us to validate our profession in the various fields where it
is practiced.
It is important to promote the possibility of establishing exchanges with Occupational
Therapists from other parts of the world, enabling us to seek and reaffirm our own
identity. Likewise, we cannot loose sight of the fact that we work in different contexts
and that each situation must be analysed within the historical and political reality of
each place. Our action must be contextualized and understood as such. It would be
very difficult for Eastern parameters to be useful in understanding Western reality. The
fields of intervention relate to the different theoretical premises that respond to specific
paradigms, as well as social, economic and cultural aspects of our political situation.
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Training in professional community practice faces difficulties because there are few
therapists working on the community issue. The same does not happen with the rest of
the practice. The physical, labour and mental health areas have interesting
experiences where recognized spaces have been achieved that encourage the training
of students in these aspects.
Various experiences, especially Latin American ones, state that in the community field
there is a lack of established tutors holding permanent positions: there is instability for
the suject and the process. The positions that do exist are the result of years of unpaid
work. This implies that there are few references both in the social and clinical fields.
Prospects for the immediate future, in terms of availability of positions in these fields of
work are practically non-existent. Students attracted to these types of interventions see
no future in terms of possibilities of work in this sphere. Prevention projects lack
economic and political support. They are a long-term effort, distant from political
interests.
This implies that Occupational Therapy trainers must assume a role of greater
participation in public management and develop negotiation capabilities with various
entities in order to promote these fields of action.
One of the characteristics in Occupational Therapy training is the lack of training in
university education, as well as in the use of advanced technology. This poses a
challenge to the role of trainers and to the transfer of this knowledge to Occupational
Therapists in clinical and professional fields.
In our role as educators it is important to focus on the student, as a subject of
knowledge that can be constructed and in order to participate in the project that implies
the construction of the life of others. This means they hold a place in society,
recognizing history and the conditions to improve or limit the possibilities of going
beyond this sphere of work. To achieve this, it is necessary for the teacher to generate
strategies to motivate critical thinking and creativity.
The Occupational Therapy teacher must develop strategies to be permanently updated
in matters related to the efficient use of IT and education, the evolution of concepts and
the process of the profession, as well as the scientific progress and research that lead
to academic production. Likewise, they must be capable of satisfying the needs of the
population through feasible projects that ensure the position of our students and
professionals in the different sectors: health, education, social, etc. This implies that the
Occupational Therapist, as a teacher, has to play his/her role from an explicit position
vis-à-vis social reality.
The social and political responsibility of the Occupational Therapy trainer is rooted in a
permanent cooperation with the student so that processes can be promoted and
become as fluid as possible. The aim is to develop competencies through problemsolving and the generation of critical thought, favouring the sense of commitment and
awareness that students must possess faced with the changes experienced by our
society. This enables them to use their capacity to create, think globally, understand
and interpret phenomena and provide solutions based on experience and knowledge.
This implies facilitating the training of Occupational Therapy students with an ethical
and critical standpoint about their practice, and thus, their training must include
understanding health, welfare, education, employment and justice needs within the
specific context of public policies.
The trainer must provide alternatives for students to exercise their reasoning. The
difficulty lies in the vulnerability of students. They have no time, no time to read; they
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are stressed and have many subjects to learn at the same time. Our task should focus
on helping the student, on offering reasonable and creative alternatives to alleviate
their stress situation so that they can better perform their role as students.
The teacher is well poised to strengthen the principles that belong to the discipline and
its history, guiding self identity and incorporating new interventions that expand the
fields in which we perform our work.
When student are accompanied in these processes, they learn. This demands that the
teacher must analyse the tensions between students and their learning process.
Alleviating their fears makes this process easier. The teacher must be a person that
anticipates and resolves problems to facilitate the process.
In summary, this role generates tensions that generally coincide with the adjustment of
academic programmes aimed at being generalists and the practical sphere with the
different local realities and their needs, in addition to the difficulty of assessing students
in their professional practice. There is a gap between what we teach and what is
presently done in practice. To a certain extent, there is no problem for this gap to exist
since educating for the future and in practice takes place today, but it is important to
understand this difference. In practice, very often the student develops a critical
posture towards Occupational Therapy trainers, but at the same time, professionals are
their models. How can we, as educators, reconstruct our role as models for our
students? How can we achieve a better understanding of how the practice and training
perspective can complement each other?
3. Educational space and social/community participation.
From the educational sphere, is it possible to contribute to inclusion processes and to
social participation for the exercise of citizenship by the people with whom we work?
What experiences can be rescue related to the violation of rights and social and
community participation?
Within Occupational Therapy educational programs, social and community participation
occur through established field practices, the development of research projects and
interdisciplinary social projects in various practice contexts.
In some experiences of Occupational Therapy training, students are linked to social
organisations where they can observe and participate in inclusion processes for
populations at risk, and evidence how occupational therapy interventions promote
social participation of different populations. Such diversity requires specialisation, indepth proposals and the strengthening of strategies. Students learn to establish
networks, and analyse processes as a network, as a relational grid that multiply and
enhance the significance links of a subject.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, this promotion task is often undertaken by NGOs.
Fieldwork and projects are major opportunities for students. Following their graduation,
many will probably find work opportunities with these NGO groups where they may
contribute their skills and the Occupational Therapy perspective to improve their work.
Occupational therapy is a discipline that exists within social dynamics. This determines
the formation of competent resources to conduct health promotion actions, prevention
of occupational dysfunction and disability rehabilitation, as well as the use of methods
to deal with the differentiated impact of the life cycle, habits and socio-economic
condition, among others, on the occupational performance of the population and
problem-solving in accordance with the unique characteristics of individuals or
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populations. This requires an expansion of sectorial and inter-sectorial actions in
search of equality.
The educational programme of the Occupational Therapy career is guided by a unique
philosophical vision of occupation and occupational performance. It emerges from a
combination of perspectives and national and international beliefs, dealing with
opinions shared by the world that encompass the nature and meaning of occupation
and the type of problems and satisfaction experienced by people about their
participation in occupations. Therefore, Occupational Therapists must act in a series of
scenarios where individual, group and community interventions are expected, and
where their philosophical framework will guide their performance. In consequence, the
philosophy of the training programme is grounded on the principles that generate social
development, under the principles of equality, solidarity and trust for the production of
well-being, prevention and management of occupational dysfunctions, as well as
decision-making related to social inclusion.
Some Latin American universities have incorporated community service whereby
Occupational Therapy students contribute to communities. From this perspective, work
with communities and with vulnerable groups is validated as a sphere where it is
possible to conduct occupational therapy interventions as a contribution to the training
of students who can witness, in practice, how to work with groups and communities, in
both the physical and mental health sector. The link that is established in the mental
and physical health sector enables the Occupational Therapist to intervene actively in
programmes aimed at people living in vulnerable situations.
In this sense, it is possible to contribute as teachers to the community needs, and at
the same time, respect our main objective which is the education of students in a
socially responsible manner. However, we still have a long way to go in the
development of a curriculum that fully reflects this perspective.
At present, in some Schools, teachers and supervisors have become involved in
extension projects related to the community. This implies greater knowledge of the
community that surrounds the University. However, this does not happen in all Schools.
There are opinions that express that opening up to certain social situations is more
useful in bringing students closer to various realities, than to actually dealing with those
realities.
In various Schools there are different ways of understanding the link with the
community. Some establish this link as from institutions, others establish it directly link
or through community organisations, some associate community work with vulnerable
populations, and others only to disability. There is a tendency to think that the link with
the community is rather an informal space, and others state the need to formalise this
work through agreements and projects
At present, the different actors in the career (some supervisor teachers), have become
involved in various University extension projects related to the community. However,
greater study is needed of the community that the university belongs to. In this sense,
some teachers report that most students state that they need new experiences with
healthy people in order to develop health promotion. This could be done by students to
encourage voluntary work and involve them in different projects that include different
populations.
4. Theoretical and practical training and its relationship with social, cultural
and economic conditions and local policies:
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One of the issues suggested for the reflection of participants is the tension between
theory and practice in the training of Occupational Therapists, and how relationships
are established between professional training and social, cultural, and economic
conditions and policies in each one of the countries that anticipated in the discussion
process.
A first approach that was submitted mentions that the curriculum favours the link
between theory and practice and tries to look at the social, economic, political, intercultural and cross-cultural through the insertion of the student in field practice
(observation, assisted practice and autonomous practice with supervision) in different
contexts, with target populations with various needs and problems.
The theoretical and practical activities of the educational program seek to review the
knowledge obtained as a result of the ethical, critical, technical/scientific discussion of
the work undertaken and of the discussion of their learning process. In this sense, an
important aspect of the experience is the encouragement for students to appropriate,
know, discuss and reflect on public policies through their participation in discussion
forums, local council meetings and protection networks.
With regards the tension between the theoretical and practical training of our students,
we observe that they do not understand the importance of the theoretical concept to
resolve the problems of practice, believing that the solution is subjective and that any
contribution is valid. They did not elaborate on the process of theoretical/clinical
reasoning necessary for the intervention.
Some Latin American teachers state that the Occupational Therapy educational
program should be concerned with viewing the intercultural and cross-cultural diversity
of our own students and of the population they cater for. The discussion and study of
human rights, ethics, citizenship and culture contribute to the theoretical and practical
articulation on reality.
They also mention that the Occupational Therapy career can incorporate into its
curriculum all the spheres where the student participates as a social being. In
consequence, the university has spaces so that students – as from academia - may
experience participative communicative encounters enabling a critical analysis in order
to contribute to the solution of problems related to social cultural and economic
deprivation, social and political execution, and social/urban/family violence, among
others. In addition, each subject discusses relevant aspects related to society and the
career.
It is suggested that the Occupational Therapy training model be an interactive process,
where what can be learned is closely related to the development of the student, where
knowledge is acquired and becomes a significant learning that also exerts influence on
the cultural transformation and development processes produced through learning,
generating a dialectic process between practice-theory and practice.
Others emphasise a pedagogical model that seeks the training of autonomous people
with ethical criteria to value and decide, so that the cognitive and attitude contents
involved can be achieved there, and respond to the changes experienced by our
society.
The teacher-student relationship becomes crucial in terms of commitment and
motivation towards learning, so long as the teacher acts as a facilitator and
professional model. Likewise, academic processes make sense to students when they
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take part and are recognised as persons. Thus, accompaniment in theoretical and
practical training processes must be a permanent responsibility of the program. In view
of this, the tutorial program is validated because it implies academic advice related to
the solution of doubts regarding matters that form part of the themes and guidelines of
the curriculum. The teaching team - through tutorship - monitors and evaluates the
performance and adaptation of students to university life.
Another group of participants view occupational therapy from a political perspective,
stating that this stance must form part of the training simply because the values that
uphold the philosophy of occupational therapy seek to create a political position
regarding inclusion, equality, human rights, etc. This concept implies the development
of a professional identity, the development of reference frameworks on professional
activity (ethics). From this perspective, through institutional organizations, students
and, in general, members of the academic community, have the possibility of
participating, of establishing links and exerting an influence on the generation of
policies and the development of strategies that promote inclusive knowledge in the
social, economic, political and cultural spheres.
Favouring experience in community from early on (early practices) in the academic
curriculum through participative and social community observation, enables students from their first levels - to achieve significant learning about the social demands of the
population and the social environment in a discussion with theory around issues such
as justice at work, socio-economic matters, exclusion and identification of research
themes in the community.
This implies working more on political aspects, something which is not always easy for
students and teachers because the examples of Occupational Therapists involved in
political or community action are scarce in all countries, despite the existence of partial
experiences in Latin America. This clearly evidences the tension between students and
teachers that prefer what is more "clinical" which is easier to identify in the areas of
traditional Occupational Therapy practice.
Other participants state that theories and practices very often fail to reflect the reality of
the exercise of the profession, and do not consider cultural, social and political
diversity. It is our duty to advance this issue in order to accompany the development of
the profession.
For European participants, educational programs are strongly influenced by sociocultural, health policy factors, as well as economic conditions and priorities. In
consequence, there is a strong emphasis on evidence-based practice, client centred
practice, participation, and the measurement of results and research. Sometimes,
these priorities can be complimentary or even lead to conflicts with each other.
Occupational Therapy in Europe possesses a history of work in healthcare, within the
medical paradigm. Over the past few years we can evidence a change towards more
social paradigms and community development. At present, there are Occupational
Therapy courses on the prevention and promotion of health, normality, marginality and
participation, but the incorporation of social, cultural and political conditions is only just
beginning and has to be developed further. A problem that arises is that Occupational
Therapists in Europe continue to work primarily in the more traditional places and there
are problems in finding fieldwork in new areas. This is an aspect that has to be
developed further.
As a political subject, the Occupational Therapist can modify the social economic
reality of a person and his/her family, can change the socially dependent position of the
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person to become part of the competitive market and contribute to society. The self
criticism made by Occupational Therapists is that no research is generated and there is
even less transmission to the community to enable changes.
As occupational therapy teaches it seems important to account for the tensions that
exist between theoretical-practical training and the socio-political realities of different
countries. This implies preparing students to participate in the debate on the
development and planning of society and of using their knowledge in this area. From
this perspective, teachers in Europe state they could do more, and ask themselves:
whether there are good examples in other parts of the world?, how we can increase the
practice of health promotion?, how we can expand, in practice, the field of
Occupational Therapy to knew it areas?, how, as educators, we are able to contribute
to these processes) and how we can encourage students to assume responsibility for
their own learning?
What cannot be absent from the University teaching conception is the ethical sense
implicit in being a subject of rights, that social sense that conscientiously confronts the
increasing levels of inequality and the political sense that questions the established
power relationships. When students undertakes their professional practice, they
become part of the institution where the practice is conducted, there is an internal
recognition that such roles form part of the institutions and they begin to understand
their links will be determined by the characteristics of the organisation, by its needs and
desires, its existing resources, plus the prevailing culture, values and regulations.
This heterogeneity that the student experiences determines the existence of conflicts
that begin to be viewed and are resolved through power relations. Students begin to
understand the notion of power not as an expectation, but as a mode of action that is
exercised every day in professional practice.
Students who become part of the activity of the organisation where their internship is
conducted form part of what is innovating in that institution, and - because of their
position - they are the people that question. The methodology aims to provide the
theoretical backup enabling students to reflect on and articulate their practice, to bring
down-to-earth abstract concepts in order to understand the different realities.
In Latin America experiences the need arises to conduct a diagnosis of the context in
which the training of Occupational Therapists takes place, seeking to respond to the
characteristics and demands of the area. Consequently, theoretical and practical
training involves self-organization concepts and the identity of social organizations.
A further guideline that is practised is observation as a fundamental assessment
method, strategic planning concepts that enable an understanding of the institutions,
their reason for existence and their purposes, as well as uniform terminology as a
specific and unique language which is valid and constitutes the basis for other
understandings.
On the one hand students are trained in the resolution of chaos, analysing risk factors
or unfavourable conditions that lead an individual to stressful situations and illness,
whilst on the other hand, the social issue is tackled in a collective manner. In both
situations there seems to be a problem of articulation between theory and practice.
A facilitator could try to link theory and practice contents with basic research concepts
so that students can begin a search process, generating gradual learning processes
enabling them to approach research and thus open their minds to new knowledge.
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5. Work/professional
exercise
educational/training process:
and
the
relationship
with
the
With regards the exercise of our profession and work, and despite the fact that we can
highlight the training of teachers in Masters, doctoral and postdoctoral programs that
seek to conduct and expand research projects, we still have a long way to go and are
aware that all construction processes need collective and integrated efforts in the
search for quality and excellence in training.
The maintenance of professional exercise together with teaching and its relationship
with Occupational Therapy training, favours the positioning of the profession in various
spheres, helping to expand the fields of development of Occupational Therapy. These
fields are represented by health, education, work and social welfare. In each one of
these fields, actions are undertaken to favour work processes that lead to welfare and
the autonomy of people and communities.
Social needs, from the perspective of education or the health of the population that
demands new ideas, new initiatives, new products, new services, new working
methods and new attitudes, implies evaluating human capital, transforming
disadvantageous situations into growth possibilities. In this aspect, Occupational
Therapy is very important.
In so far as our work is concerned, social, economic and cultural conditions require
training, they need to adapt accounting for a new sense of professional direction to
resolve the various problems and achieve different results. This permanent challenge is
related to our teaching activities.
Encourage the student to exercise thought and reflection, something that is only done
when it comes to action. But if this is achieved during this stage, it enables students to
exercise freedom of thought and exercise freedom. It seems common, in the
experience of teachers, that students do not trust their knowledge and skills; they need
our recognition and the capability to integrate knowledge. This means that teachers
must also be capable of looking at their own practices, both as teachers and as
professional Occupational Therapists. This accounts for the great interest shown by
students in the testimony of teachers that have specialised in various fields of
Occupational Therapy and that talk based on their experience.
One of the difficulties observed is the supply, by teachers, of exclusive models that
compete with other models and modes. A misalignment appears which is disconcerting
for students because they are given the message that it is impossible to intervene as
from diversity. At the same time, it is difficult for the trainer to find consensus around a
certain unity of criteria as part of the professional identity in different intervention areas
of Occupational Therapy. This challenges models, and it students that must make
secondary adjustments to push ahead and sidestep conflicts.
Professional practice is constantly opening and looking for community and clinical
spaces where it needs strengthening. Having resolved this practice, amidst so much
diversity because of the different vulnerable life cycles and their different approaches,
we can say that a certain level of complexity has been achieved enabling us to
continue to improve the experience of practice as a valid learning process.
As professionals we have an inclusive approach to marginal groups, both in academic
and practical training. We have been more successful with groups that are
marginalized as a result of physical or mental factors, than with those that are
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marginalised because of social or political factors. An example of this is the emphasis
placed on the universal and occupational design and in professional rehabilitation. We
are also in the process of reviewing curriculum with the objective of encouraging
cultural sensitivity to be more effective.
6. Other themes that emerged from individual and/or group reflections not
included in the pre-defined themes:
This was the theme that was less discussed in the various contributions. The following
is a presentation of the most common themes, as well as proposals to be considered in
the various discussions that will be held during Education Day and also in future
meetings.
Among the themes that emerged from individual or group discussions by different
teachers, we can highlight the following:
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Evaluation process of student in field practices and exchange of
assessment tools or instruments used in fieldwork academic programs,
their relevance, veracity and impact assessment.
Student skills and competencies required for fieldwork practice.
Exchange and meeting points between students, teachers and teachers
of practice to support and encourage the development of the theoretical
basis of practice.
Education and pedagogical training of Occupational Therapy teachers.
Teacher training is necessary, especially in methodologies of study,
promotion of critical analysis and reflexive thoughts among students.
Strengthening research and the generation of knowledge in Occupational
Therapy, as well as evidence of the efficiency of Occupational Therapy
treatments in different populations
Validation and development of instruments and evaluation sets for
Occupational Therapy.
Updating methods and procedures used in direct interventions with
people and communities.
Accreditation process of Occupational Therapy Schools, review of
standards.
Regulatory mechanisms for professional practice. For example, there is a
lack of informal learning opportunities during “first employment” to
improve skills and encourage confidence. There are no systems to
regulate the fact that graduates exercise private practice without
adequate competencies.
Are occupational therapists in the 21st century preparing themselves to
effectively tackle the complexities of the new millennium? Or do we have
to review paradigms, and the training of occupational therapists, and
generate new intervention processes?
Support students with a variety of disabilities and different learning
needs.
Development of a monitoring system and support networks for
graduates.
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Reflection about the curriculum and present training models based on
competencies.
Reflection on the development of the profession at a world level and the
challenges that exist in different continents and countries.
Each one of these themes was discussed by teachers from various countries of
Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America, Australia and Asia.
We know that there may indeed be other elements that need to be discussed,
despite the fact that in this process we have been able to highlight two relevant
themes that will be suggested for discussion during Education Day. They are:
THEMES FOR EDUCATION DAY:
1. Political implications of training Occupational Therapists within the
context of globalization and diversity.
a. How International policies (WHO and Social Determinants of
Health) are projected in Occupational Therapy educational
policies for the next ten years (2010 – 2020).
b. New socio-political contexts (crisis resulting from natural disasters,
wars or social instability) and emergence of new social actors, a
challenge for the training of occupational therapists.
c. How the perspective of a globalized world, where inter-culturality /
cross-culturality - from positions of power - are incorporated into
the training of Occupational Therapists. This is fundamental in
order to understand discrimination, poverty and exclusion.
d. The educational dimension of occupational therapy as a policy to
promote, prevent and gain awareness of the fundamental rights of
vulnerable, excluded or deprived citizens.
2. How we position and strengthen Occupational Therapy at a world
level considering an education facing the tension between technical
and disciplinary-epistemological aspects. Design of the curriculum.
a. Design and construction of a proposal for the training and
evaluation of students undertaking their professional practice in
Occupational Therapy. From what perspective is a link established
between theory and practice during evaluation. For example, in
the evaluation of competencies and training for community
interventions, among others.
b. How we can facilitate critical thinking in the professional training of
Occupational Therapists.
c. How we deal with the incorporation of the social actors involved in
the intervention space of Occupational Therapy into professional
training. Validation of trans-disciplinary teamwork, both
professional and non-professional, working with others in coconstruction. Analysis of situations to share.
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d. The responsibility of trainers for the generation of knowledge in
Occupational Therapy, scope for research, extension, and
publication in the teaching practice.
Common themes we wish to focus on to guide the analysis and final
synthesis:
 The professional identity of Occupational Therapists.
 Generate strategies for greater collective action as a profession.
ANNEX 1
PRELIMINARY WORK GUIDELINE FOR EDUCATION DAY
We want to generate scope for discussion in all Occupational Therapy Schools about possible themes of
interest to be discussed during Education Day on May 3, 2010. We are interested in a debate that reflects
the diversity of viewpoints, approaches and themes of the various actors involved in the training of
Occupational Therapists, both classroom teachers, clinical lecturers and supervisors of students in
practice, as well as other professionals that participate in the academic training of our
discipline/profession.
For this purpose, we suggest that different groups met and debate in a participative manner.
1st phase: collection of common themes
Dates
Activity
July 31 to August 28
Meetings between teacher teams
2009
Moments of their previous process: individual reflections, group reflections,
process consolidation
Guiding questions for Reflection: the purpose is to reflect and discuss the points proposed. For this
purpose the following questions are attached as a guideline to facilitate the process.
To favour discussion, we suggest an initial individual reflection, followed by a reflection in small groups
In our training as occupational therapists ¿Which milestone/s left a mark on my training? In my
training as a therapist, is it possible to identify the contribution of formal and informal education?
In my, or our role as OT trainers What are the tensions or contradictions in the educational process?,
What is the emphasis on academic training?, Do we train technicians or professionals?, In our training,
do we make a distinction between technical, professional and disciplinary training?, How de we train to
become trainers, pedagogues and teachers of other OTs?, In the world and local situation what is the
social and historical responsibility of the OT trainer role?, and how do we incorporate OT’s public service
exercise into the training? From an educational stance, is it possible to make a contribution towards
social inclusion and participation processes for the exercise of citizenship of the people with whom we
work? What experiences related to the violation of rights and social and community participation are we
able to rescue?
With regards the relationship between theoretical and practical training, How do we incorporate
social, cultural and political conditions into training processes? What are the methodologies used to
generate significant learning in students? To what extent do the different methodological approaches
achieve their objectives in contexts of socio-cultural and economic deprivation, social and political
exclusion, social/urban/family violence, unemployment and drug trafficking, among others? What are the
tensions and links between the theoretical and practical training of our students? Does the conception of
OT as a political subject form part of training? If this is so or not, how is this expressed? Do we
incorporate the different socio-cultural differences and the intercultural/cross-cultural perspectives of both
our students, and of the subjects of our OT interventions into our training process?
With regards our professional exercise What are the social, economic and cultural conditions in which
we conduct our task as teachers/trainers? and How are these linked to our students’ learning process?
What achievements would we highlight from our local experiences and what difficulties could we identify?
August 02 to August 31
Teacher/trainer teams send their proposed themes for Education Day, and a
2009
summary of each reflection point. Guideline attached.
September 16, 2009
Definition of themes contributed by other teaching teams based on the
guideline provided by teams.
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2nd phase: determination of common themes selected
Considering the themes defined, it is suggested that the teaching teams of each Scool, including teachers
of practice, supervisors and other professionals, hold at least three meetings to debate these themes. The
Education Day organizing committee will produce a set of guiding questions for each theme in order to
facilitate reflection and debate within teams.
The objective is that - based on the inputs of each team - we may be able to discuss these themes in
greater depth during Education Day.
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